ying
across a broad river in canoes, for which purpose we had first to run up
the river to a considerable distance. From this place we arrived at
Cachula, which lies high among the mountains, in the province of Chiapa,
and must not be confounded with a township of the same name, prettily
situated in the neighbourhood of la Puebla de los Angeles. Leaving
Cachula, we passed through several small townships dependent on it; here
we made ourselves a perfectly new road along the river, which flows from
Chiapa, for there was previously no road whatever in this place. The
inhabitants of the surrounding districts lived in perpetual fear of the
Chiapanecs, who at that time were the most warlike people of New Spain.
I will not even except the Tlascallans, the Mexicans, the Zapotecs, or
the Minges; nor were the monarchs of Mexico ever able to subdue them;
besides which, their population was extensive, and their warlike spirit
universally dreaded. They were continually at war with their neighbours
of Cinacatan, the tribes on the lake Quilenayas, and with the Zoques; in
short, they levied contributions on all the surrounding townships,
dragged the inhabitants forcibly away to sacrifice them to their gods,
and devoured their flesh at their festive orgies. They posted troops in
all the narrow passes of Teguantepec, to lay wait for the trading Indian
merchants, thereby often destroying all intercourse between the
different provinces. They had even carried off into slavery the
population of whole districts, and formed settlements of them in the
neighbourhood of Chiapa, compelling them to cultivate their plantations.

After we had marched to a considerable distance up this river towards
Chiapa, (it was during the lent of the year 1524,) we halted within a
short distance of this place. Here Marin reviewed his troops, which he
had been unable to do up to this moment, as a number of the inhabitants
of the country had been absent, besides many of the soldiers, to collect
the tribute of the townships, which lay dispersed among the Cachula
mountains. Our muster-roll gave twenty-five horse, but of which five
were scarcely fit for service; fifteen crossbow-men, and eight
musketeers. We had one field-piece, and one artilleryman, who had served
in the campaign of Italy; but that was all, for he was the most
determined coward I ever saw. The rest of our Spanish troops consisted
of those who were armed with swords and bucklers, amounting to sixty
men